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George Enescu Festival 2011: Orchestras, Opera and Ballet

Sonia Pantiss
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George Enescu Festival 2011: Orchestras, Opera and Ballet

The 20th edition of a great classical music event, George Enescu Festival 2011, has attracted thousands of visitors and artists from all over the world.

 

George Enescu Festival started on September 1 and ends on September 25. During this period lots of cultural events have taken place.

Great Orchestra of the World series has gathered world famous orchestras, Residentie Orkest/ The Hague Philharmonic with Christian Badea, Dan Grigore (piano), London Symphony Orchestra with Horia Andreescu, and Nicola Benedetti (violin), London Symphony Orchestra with Nikolai Znaider and Saleem Abboud Ashkar (piano), Choir and Orchestra of the “George Enescu” Philharmonic with Genaddy Rozhdestvensky and Iosif Ion Prunner, The Mariinsky Theathre Symphony Orchestra with Valery Gergiev and Alexander Toradze (piano), or with “Academic Choir” of the Romanian National Society, conducted by Dan Mihai Goia, Staatskapelle Berlin with Daniel Barenboim, National Radio Orchestra with James Gaffigan, Peter Donohoe (piano), Cynthia Millar (ondes Martenot), Wiener Philharmoniker with Franz Welser-Möst, Fanny Clamagirand (violin), Antoine Tamestit (viola), Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra with Vasily Petrenko, Midori, Alexei Volodin, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra with Zubin Mehta, Vadim Repin (violin), Yefim Bronfman (piano).

 

George Enescu Festival 2011 has brought Orchestra Dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia with conductor Antonio Pappano and piano soloist Hélène Grimaud on September 21.

They interpret Concerto no. 1 for piano and orchestra (Brahms) and Symphony no. 6 “Patetica” (Tchaikovsky).

 

Hélène Grimaud performs at George Enescu Festival 2011 (photo Jean-Marie Périer)
Hélène Grimaud performs at George Enescu Festival 2011 (photo Jean-Marie Périer)

 

Hélène Grimaud, 42, is a  French pianist. She has shared the stage with a lot of famous orchestras. She loves classical music and wolves. Hélène Grimaud helped found in 1999 Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, New York, wrote a book “Wild Harmonies: A Life of Music and Wolves” and made a documentary “Living with Wolves”. She underwent surgery for stomach cancer in 2010 with a long recovery. Hélène Grimaud has recorded since she was a teenager. “There is something so intense when the red light goes on. There is an erotic power to the microphone.” She said.

Orchestra Dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia was founded in 1908. It was the first Italian orchestra to dedicate exclusively to symphonic repertoire. It has performed over 15,000 concerts, and was conducted by Debussy, Strauss, Stravinsky, Toscanini.

On September 22, Orchestra Dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia performs with piano soloist Denis Matsuev. They interpret Chamber Symphony (George Enescu), Concerto no. 2 for piano and orchestra (Rachmaninov), Sheherezade (Rimsky-Korsakov).

Denis Matsuev, 36 Russian pianist, won the first prize of the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow (1998). He was the first pianist to perform a jazz concert at Moscow Conservatory.

 

Denis Matsuev interprets Chamber Symphony by George Enescu at George Enescu Festival 2011.
Denis Matsuev interprets Chamber Symphony by George Enescu at George Enescu Festival 2011.

 

Romanian Youth Orchestra with Christian Mandeal and violin soloist David Garrett perform on September 23 Rhapsody no.1 (George Enescu), Concerto for violin and orchestra (Beethoven), Firebird (Stravinsky), La Valse (Ravel).

Orchestre National de France with Daniele Gatti interpret Symphony no. 9 (Mahler) on September 24 and on September 25 with cello soloist Han-Na Chang, French orchestra perform Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, for orchestra (1897), Concertante Symphony for cello and orchestra (George Enescu), Ibéria (Debussy) and Boléro (Ravel).

 

Bucharest National Opera has began its fall season with a premiere: Oedipe opera, Orchestra and Choir of the Bucharest National Opera (with Tiberiu Soare) on September 15, part of the George Enescu festival.

 

Oedipe by George Enescu at Bucharest National Opera
Oedipe by George Enescu at Bucharest National Opera

 

George Enescu composed Oedipe, a lyrical tragedy, between 1921 and 1931 and its worldwide premiere was in 1936 in Paris. In Romania, it premiered in 1958, at the first edition of the George Enescu festival.

Lohengrin (Richard Wagner), El Banch / El Ballet Nacional Chileno (Bach), Magifique (Tchaikovsky), Romeo and Juliet (Berlioz) have been performed at Bucharest National Opera or at “Ion Luca Caragiale” National Theatre as part of “Opera and Ballet” series of George Enescu Festival.

Evgheni Oneghin is scheduled for September 21 and 23. A ballet gala featuring David Makhateli (first soloist at the Royal Opera House) and Razvan Mazilu takes place on September 22. Ballet Night with Ballet Company of the Bucharest National Opera follows on September 24. Ballet Night features Valse Fantaisie (Glinka), Serenade (Tchaikovsky), Falling Angels (Steve Reich) and an evening with the best known pieces of operetta can be attended on September 25.

 

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Troy Davis story. Last day before execution.

Diane A. Wade
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Troy Davis story. Last day before execution.

Troy Davis’ execution will go ahead as planned.

 

Troy Davis was convicted of the August 19, 1989, murder of Georgia police officer Mark MacPhail, who was working as a security guard at a Burger King when he intervened in an argument between several men in a nearby parking lot.

Mark MacPhail was shot in the heart and face without having drawn his gun.

One of the men, Sylvester Coles, went to police and implicated Troy Davis in the killing, and he was arrested four days later.

During Troy Davis’ 1991 trial, many witnesses testified they had seen him shooting MacPhail. Two other witnesses testified that Troy Davis had confessed the murder to them.

Troy Davis was convicted of the August 19, 1989, murder of Georgia police officer Mark MacPhail
Troy Davis was convicted of the August 19, 1989, murder of Georgia police officer Mark MacPhail

The murder weapon was never found, and no physical evidence linked Troy Davis to the crime.

Throughout his trial and subsequent appeals, Troy Davis has maintained his innocence but was sentenced to death in August 1991.

Seven of nine witnesses to the murder changed or recanted their testimony in recent years. Several stated they had felt pressure by police to implicate Troy Davis.

New witnesses implicated Sylvester Coles in the crime.

Many appeals in state and federal courts followed, Troy Davis and his lawyers arguing that the racial composition of the jury and poor advocacy from his lawyers had affected his right to a fair trial.

In an August 2010 decision, the conviction was upheld, with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia declaring that the new evidence cast only ‘minimal doubt on his conviction’. Subsequent appeals, including to the Supreme Court, were rejected.

Police officer Mark MacPhail was shot dead in Savannah, Georgia, in August 1989
Police officer Mark MacPhail was shot dead in Savannah, Georgia, in August 1989

 

In July 2007, September 2008, and October 2008, Troy Davis execution dates were scheduled but stayed shortly before the events took place.

Troy Davis is set to be executed by lethal injection on September 21, 2011, at 7:00 pm, as he has lost a bid for clemency launched by his defense lawyers.

In the last day of his life, he declined to order a special last meal. Troy Davis will be served what’s on the menu at the Georgia state prison in Jackson before his execution – grilled cheeseburger, oven-browned potatoes, baked beans, coleslaw, cookies and a grape beverage.

Troy Davis’ execution will go ahead as planned.

Diane A. Wade
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Troy Davis’ execution will go ahead as planned.

Troy Davis case story. Last day before execution.

 

Troy Davis, the convicted murderer of a police officer, who is set to be executed by lethal injection on Wednesday, has lost a bid for clemency launched by his defense lawyers.

Georgia’s board of pardons rejected the last-minute plea even after it attracted high-profile support, and Troy Davis execution will go ahead as planned.

It was the last hope for Troy Davis, 42, who was convicted of killing police officer Mark MacPhail, in Savannah, Georgia, in 1989.

Troy Davis, the convicted murderer of a police officer is set to be executed by lethal injection on Wednesday
Troy Davis, the convicted murderer of a police officer is set to be executed by lethal injection on Wednesday

 

Anti-death penalty activists, who claim Troy Davis was wrongly convicted, chanted and held banners through Atlanta last week.

It is the fourth time in four years Troy Davis execution has been scheduled by Georgia officials.

Anti-death penalty activists, who claim Troy Davis was wrongly convicted, chanted and held banners through Atlanta last week
Anti-death penalty activists, who claim Troy Davis was wrongly convicted, chanted and held banners through Atlanta last week

According to Steve Hayes, spokesman for the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the panel decided to rejected Troy Davis’ request for clemency after hearing hours of testimony from his supporters and prosecutors.

The board decision appeared to leave him with little chance of avoiding the execution date. Defence attorney Jason Ewart has said that the pardons board was likely Troy Davis’ last option.

The defense lawyers have long argued Troy Davis was a victim of mistaken identity, but prosecutors say they have no doubt that they charged the right person with the crime.

Officer Mark MacPhail’s relatives said they were relieved by the decision.

“That’s what we wanted, and that’s what we got,” said Anneliese MacPhail, the victim’s mother.

“We wanted to get it over with, and for him to get his punishment.”

“Justice was finally served for my father,” said Mark MacPhail Jr, victim’ son, who was an infant when his father was gunned down.

“The truth was finally heard.”

Police officer Mark MacPhail was shot dead in Savannah, Georgia, in August 1989
Police officer Mark MacPhail was shot dead in Savannah, Georgia, in August 1989

Troy Davis’ sister, Kim Davis declined immediate comment on the decision.

Amnesty International USA director Larry Cox said in a statement that the decision was “unconscionable”.

“Should Troy Davis be executed, Georgia may well have executed an innocent man and in so doing discredited the justice system,” Larry Cox said.

The case has captured international attention because of concerns about the quality of evidence involved in Troy Davis’s conviction.

Troy Davis’s supporters said there is no physical evidence linking him to the crime and that key witnesses in his trial have since recanted their testimony.

Martin Luther King III, son of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr, joined the last week march. Reverend Al Sharpton, a civil rights activist and television show host, also attended.

In August 2009, in a rare move, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered a new hearing for Troy Davis to assess what he said was new evidence showing his innocence.

The justices transferred the case to a U.S. District Court in Georgia for a hearing and determination of Troy Davis claims that new witnesses will clearly establish his innocence.

In 2010, the judge, William T. Moore Jr, rejected Troy Davis’ claims of innocence. But last week, supporters of Troy Davis delivered petitions with more than 600,000 names to the parole board.

In a column last week in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, former FBI Director William Sessions called for Troy Davis’s sentence to be commuted to life in prison, saying the case was “permeated in doubt”.

However, in an opposing column written in late 2008 and republished on last Thursday, Spencer Lawton, the district attorney who prosecuted Davis, said the convicted man had a fair trial.

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Full Tilt Poker built a global Ponzi scheme.

Clyde K. Valle
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Full Tilt Poker built a global Ponzi scheme.

Full Tilt Poker and its operators built a global Ponzi scheme that bilked online players out of at least $390 million, said federal prosecutors who filed a civil lawsuit against the internet gambling site.

According to U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, besides defrauding the U.S. banking system, as alleged in a civil lawsuit last spring, Full Tilt Poker was “not a legitimate poker company.”

Instead, Full Tilt Poker “cheated and abused its own players”, as insiders “lined their own pockets with funds picked from the pockets of their most loyal customers while blithely lying to both players and the public alike about the safety and security of the money deposited with the company.”

Full Tilt Poker built a global Ponzi scheme that bilked online players out of at least $390 million, said federal prosecutors
Full Tilt Poker built a global Ponzi scheme that bilked online players out of at least $390 million, said federal prosecutors

The lawsuit said that Full Tilt Poker owed its U.S. customers a total of $150 million as of the end of March.

Poker players around US said they were stunned by the latest accusations.

“If true, these allegations detail a massive betrayal of player trust, which will cause financial hardship for thousands, if not millions, of individual poker players, none of whom are accused of doing anything wrong,” John Pappas, executive director of advocacy group Poker Players Alliance, said in a statement.

Until now, defense lawyers declined to comment.

Since April 2007, Full Tilt Poker distributed nearly $444 million to owners and directors, with much of it going into overseas accounts, according to the new claims in the civil suit that accuses it of money laundering.

The amended civil suit is part of a filing that seeks to recover $3 billion from Full Tilt Poker; two other sites, PokerStars and Absolute Poker; 21 related firms and four individuals: Full Tilt Poker Chief Executive Raymond Bitar and board members and poker stars Howard Lederer, Christopher “Jesus” Ferguson and Rafael Furst.

The sites were shut down April 15, a day many players now refer to as Black Friday, in an FBI raid. Also, a grand jury indicted Bitar and 10 other executives and third-party payment processors for the three sites on charges of bank fraud, money laundering and gambling law violations.

The crackdown sent shudders through the poker community and sent online players scrambling for solace in bricks-and-mortar casinos. Some U.S. high rollers who made a living playing on the Internet packed up and moved abroad.

PokerStars returned money to U.S. players in the wake of the federal actions last spring. Absolute Poker agreed to refund what it owed. But Full Tilt Poker, with only $60 million in its coffers, didn’t have enough funds to pay back players, prosecutors said.

Full Tilt Poker also was plagued by a U.S. payment processing network that was disrupted last year, preventing the company from pulling money from customers’ bank accounts to fund online gambling credits.

Instead of disclosing the problem, prosecutors said, Full Tilt Poker maintained a false image of financial stability by crediting players’ accounts with $130 million in “phantom funds.” When players gambled with these funds and lost to other players, a “massive shortfall” developed, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors are seeking refunds of $42 million from Lederer, $41 million from Bitar, $25 million from Ferguson and $12 million from Furst and said they also may seek additional money laundering penalties.

A federal court has allowed prosecutors to seize five accounts associated with the men, but three of the accounts are based abroad.

The fraud was made possible, prosecutors said, because Full Tilt was based overseas.

In July, regulators on the British Channel island of Alderney, where Full Tilt was licensed, suspended Full Tilt’s international operations.

Debi O’Neill, 53, from Georgia, an administrator for online poker forum CardsChat, recouped all of the $7,500 she had kept at PokerStars. But she still has $2,000 trapped in Full Tilt.

“I don’t really expect to ever see any of it again,” she said.

“I feel like they stole it from me. I trusted them, deposited money there in good faith.”

Without the Full Tilt Poker funds to reinvest in other poker sites, Debi O’Neill said, she has lost a part-time livelihood. She now relies on gambling trips to Las Vegas and her husband’s salary from a poultry company.

“I can’t play the kind of volume I used to,” she said. “It’s life-changing for me.”

Bill Clinton reveals he rejected Dancing With The Stars offer.

Lisa.Felice
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Bill Clinton reveals he rejected Dancing With The Stars offer.

Bill Clinton, the former US president revealed on Rachel Ray show he rejected an “interesting” offer to appear on Dancing With The Stars show.

Bill Clinton, the 65 year-old politician, said he refused the offer because he couldn’t fit dance training into his busy schedule.

On today Rachael Ray show, Bill Clinton appeared tickled by the offer to join the celebrity cast of the hit television show.

The former president said that the thought of wearing sequins and stretch pants wasn’t appealing enough for him to drop his engagements and focus on the fox trot.

Bill Clinton revealed on Rachel Ray show he rejected an “interesting” offer to appear on Dancing With The Stars
Bill Clinton revealed on Rachel Ray show he rejected an “interesting” offer to appear on Dancing With The Stars

“I told them I didn’t have the time to train for it. You know you actually go out there and you train, you really work at it. So I had to pass. But I think it’s a hoot,” Clinton laughed.

Refusing the Dancing With The Stars producers offer came much to the dismay of his mother-in-law, who Bill Clinton said is a huge fan of the show.

“And I have a 92-year-old mother-in-law who watches it religiously and she knows much more about popular culture than Hillary and I do,” Bill Clinton said, referring to his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“She even knows more than her granddaughter, Chelsea, knows about popular culture. She thinks I would be really cool if I made it, but I had to pass,” former president said.

President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton dance at his inaugural ball in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 1993
President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton dance at his inaugural ball in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 1993

 

Bill Clinton said he is also a fan of the show – which will also see David Arquette, Chynna Phillips, soccer star Hope Solo, basketball player Ron Artest, actor JR Martinez, model Elisabetta Canalis, actress and talk show host Ricki Lake and reality stars Kristin Cavallari, Rob Kardashian and Carson Kressley competing for the title of America’s favourite celebrity dancer.

Bill Clinton added that ballroom dancing lessons could very well be in his near future.

“Just last night, Hillary said to me <<You know, when I’m not Secretary of State anymore, we should go take dancing lessons>>. So we’ll start with the tango.”

Typhoon Roke hits Japan and kills four people.

Diane A. Wade
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Typhoon Roke hits Japan and kills four people.

The powerful typhoon Roke has struck disaster-ravaged Japan, bringing heavy rains and floods that have killed four people.

Typhoon Roke is in progress to hit Fukushima, where engineers are still struggling to bring a nuclear plant under control after the March tsunami, with strong concerns that rain could force radioactive water into the sea.

More than a million people were urged to evacuate their homes across Japan; an advisory was later lifted in one area but 330,000 people remain at risk.

More than a million people were urged to evacuate their homes after typhoon Roke hit Japan
More than a million people were urged to evacuate their homes after typhoon Roke hit Japan

Typhoon Roke made landfall on Wednesday afternoon (05:00 GMT), scouring its way up the main island of Honshu, bringing high winds and torrential rain.

Typhoon is tracking a path across Tokyo towards Fukushima prefecture and is then expected to travel up along the north-east coast, which was battered by the 11 March earthquake and tsunami.

Four people have been found dead after heavy rain and flooding in central and western Japan due to the storm’s approach and another two are missing in the central prefecture of Gifu, including a nine-year-old boy.

Hundreds of flights are cancelled and several motorways have been closed.

Toyota, the car maker is suspending production at 11 of its 15 factories.

According to Japan’s Meteorological Agency, “the highest level of caution be used because of the heavy rain, strong wind, and high waves.”

The meteorological agency has also warned of downpours over a wide area of the country on Wednesday, saying some places could be deluged by as much as 50 mm of rain in an hour.

It is the second time in less than a month that Japan is being hit by a typhoon. Typhoon Talas ripped through the west of the country, leaving about 90 people dead or missing.

Dolores Hope will be buried alongside her husband.

Sonia Pantiss
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Dolores Hope will be buried alongside her husband.

Dolores Hope, Bob Hope widow, dies at 102

 

Dolores Hope, Bob Hope’s widow, who died on Monday at 102, will be buried alongside her beloved husband of 69 years.

Bob Hope died in 2003 and is buried in the Mission San Fernando Rey de Espana Cemetery in California, where Dolores already had the plot beside him inscribed for herself.

Dolores Hope was married to the comedy legend for 69 years and sometimes sang on his shows for U.S. troops and on his television specials.

Bob Hope is buried in the Mission San Fernando Rey de Espana Cemetery in California, where Dolores already had the plot beside him inscribed for herself
Bob Hope is buried in the Mission San Fernando Rey de Espana Cemetery in California, where Dolores already had the plot beside him inscribed for herself

According to family spokesman Harlan Boll, Dolores Hope passed away at home in Los Angeles.

In 2009, at her 100th birthday party, Dolores Hope appeared little changed: her white hair was richly coiffed, her skin smooth and her voice deep and warm. Even if she was brought to the party in a wheelchair, Dolores Hope was alert and happy as she greeted old friends and posed for photographs.

After the party, Dolores Hope said: “I thought it was going to be just another birthday.”

Bob and Dolores Hope in 2003
Bob and Dolores Hope in 2003

In 1933, when Bob Hope was appearing in his first Broadway show, Roberta, his friend and fellow cast member George Murphy persuaded him to visit the Vogue Club to “hear a pretty girl sing”. She was Dolores Reade, a dark beauty whose singing of “It’s Only a Paper Moon” entranced the young comedian.

“I’ll never forget what a wonderful singer she was,” said Rip Taylor.

“In fact, that’s how Bob and Dolores met. It seems to me that they were always laughing.”

Bob Hope returned every night and soon he was escorting Dolores to her hotel after her shows. Bob and Dolores Hope married on February 19, 1934, and she quit nightclubs to join his vaudeville act.

“Bob was the hot thing in New York then,” Dolores Hope recalled in 1997.

“I thought I’d better stay home and take care of Bob.”

When Bob and Dolores Hope moved to Hollywood in 1938 for the beginning of his film career, she stayed home and devoted her time to raising the four children that they adopted: Linda, Anthony, Kelly and Nora.

“I had such a huge admiration for both of them,” said Julie Newmar.

“The quality it takes to get just one year older, says a lot about that fact that she lived to 102.”

Dolores Hope continued singing at parties, and in the 1940s she began accompanying Bob on his Christmas trips to entertain U.S. troops.

In 1966, Dolores Hope sang “Silent Night” to hushed thousands of GI’s who then rose and gave her a thunderous ovation, many with tears in their eyes.

In 1990, Dolores Hope accompanied Bob on his last Christmas visit to American forces, visiting troops who were in Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Storm. Marie Osmond, Ann Jillian and the Pointer Sisters did not perform, to avoid offending Saudi sensibilities about women entertainers. But Dolores Hope was approved and sang “White Christmas” to a rapt audience.

“She was the first lady of the USO,” said Carol Channing. “They didn’t come any more patriotic, caring or talented than Dolores.”

Aside from overseeing two homes- the 18,000 square-foot mansion in North Hollywood and the 25,000 square-foot hilltop home in Palm Springs – Dolores Hope worked indefatigably for numerous charities. From 1969 to 1976 she served as president of the Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Desert, California, then becoming chairwoman.

In 1982, Dolores Hope explained her philosophy:

“I like being with people, but I also need to have my time alone. I think it’s terribly important to have some time during the day when you stop and take all the energy that you have given out and pull it back in, find the source of your energy. Then you work from there.”

 

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Ashton Kutcher “needs to work on being funny”, said critics after his TAHM debut.

Ricky Robinson
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Ashton Kutcher “needs to work on being funny”, said critics after his TAHM debut.

Ashton Kutcher Two and a Half Men début had been the subject of a slew of Hollywood hype after it was announced he would be replacing the fired Charlie Sheen.

It seems the critics are a little mixed on Ashton Kutcher‘s performance after he made his first appearance on the hit comedy show last night.

According to the New York Daily News, Ashton Kutcher, who spent much of the time on last night’s show naked while playing Walden Schmidt billionaire, “just needs to work on being funny.”

“By the last third of the show, the writers had clearly decided that walking around naked was Walden’s best shot at a laugh.”

Ashton Kutcher's character, Walden Schmidt is a dumped billionaire who has attempted to commit suicide
Ashton Kutcher's character, Walden Schmidt is a dumped billionaire who has attempted to commit suicide

The Wall Street Journal reviewer wrote:

“Kutcher is intense and doesn’t do dead pan well at all. But he’s way hotter naked, and he’s naked a lot,” they said, adding that “Kutcher seems sort of frozen in place, humourless.”

Other commentators seemed to enjoy what Ashton Kutcher brought to the show, although some had reservations about his comic timing.

“The fact is that Kutcher, despite having spent so much time over the past few years branding and Tweeting himself, is a good comic actor,” wrote People in its review. “Not great.”

Entertainment Weekly wrote:

“Kutcher’s performance was good, nearly as poker-faced fine as Sheen’s was.”

 “It’s easy to see how Kutcher is going to fit into the ensemble.

“He’s part-contrast-to-Charlie (he ordered ginger ale, not liquor, while out at a bar with Alan), and part-Charlie-2.0 (he beds women with ease, but in a nice, horny-puppy-dog kind of way).”

Ashton Kutcher's character bonded with Jon Cryer's character Alan Harper
Ashton Kutcher's character bonded with Jon Cryer's character Alan Harper

However, other reviewers were kinder about Ashton Kutcher debut, who made his entrance as dumped husband Walden Schmidt soaking wet on the deck of Alan Harper’s Malibu beach house after trying to commit suicide in the ocean.

“With Kutcher loosely playing himself as a savant ladies’ man, it’s likely that Charlie Harper – or Sheen – won’t be missed,” said Fox News.

Charlie Sheen was famously fired from the smash hit TV comedy after falling out with its creator Chuck Lorre.

“Filling the void left by a well established character isn’t easy, but Kutcher mostly succeeded,” wrote The Chicago Sun Times.

“At times his character seemed a bit like Lennie petting the rabbits in Of Mice and Men, but give him a few episodes, and he should settle in nicely.”

The Los Angeles Times, meanwhile, said the show, which opened with Sheen’s character Charlie Harper’s funeral, was a ‘promising beginning.’

“Kutcher brings a softness as well as a sense of rude health – he was naked for much of the show – to a series that could often be brittle and sour, misanthropic and misogynistic, and temperamentally middle-aged.

“His presence might allow Cryer to play some sweeter, less strident notes, though it is up to Lorre, of course, to make that, or let that, happen.”

However, the viewing public were clearly less fussy than the critics on Ashton Kutcher, with a whopping 28 million tuning in – the largest ever audience for the show, which is in its ninth season.

Ashton Kutcher tweeted his gratitude to his fans today, posting:

“I owe you guys big time for showing up for us last night. Hope you were entertained. We’ll be there every Monday for you.”

And even Charlie Sheen found the episode funny, writing on his Twitter account:

“Surrounded by friends and watching the premier of Two and a Half Men,’ he tweeted. ‘Odd… But cool..! So far a lot of laughs!! Nice…”

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Toilet roll The Beatles refused to use could sell for £1,000 per sheet.

Ricky Robinson
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Toilet roll The Beatles refused to use could sell for £1,000 per sheet.

Beatles, the world’s most famous band once refused to use a toilet roll while recording their Abbey Road album, because they thought it was too “hard and shiny”.

The rock legends rejected the roll during the 1960s as it also had EMI stamped on every sheet.

The object came to light after Beatles fan Barry Thomas snapped up the toilet roll at an auction complete with a letter from EMI manager Ken Townsend.

Toilet roll The Beatles refused to use while recording Abbey Road, because they thought it was too “hard and shiny”
Toilet roll The Beatles refused to use while recording Abbey Road, because they thought it was too “hard and shiny”

 

Experts tried to evaluate the toilet roll last week, but told Barry Thomas they could not price such an odd object. Since then, Thomas has been offered £1,000 just for one sheet of the toilet roll.

Barry Thomas, 66, a grand-father of three bought the unique item of memorabilia in 1980 along with a famous picture that had hung at the studio throughout the Beatles’ time there.

He bought the roll, which came with a jokey letter of authentication by Ken Townsend for £85.

The letter, which is signed by Ken Townsend, reads:

“Most things went very smoothly with the Beatles at Abbey Road – but not this roll of toilet paper which they complained was too hard and shiny.

“They thought it disgraceful that the management should stamp each sheet of paper with EMI Ltd.

“The paper was immediately withdrawn and things became much smoother for staff after that.”

Ken Townsend letter stating why Beatles didn't want to use the toilet roll during their time at Abbey Road
Ken Townsend letter stating why Beatles didn't want to use the toilet roll during their time at Abbey Road

Barry Thomas, who at the time ran a recording studio in Coventry, Warks, said:

 “I went along to the auction as I was a Beatles fan, I mean who couldn’t be?

“I saw the roll and I just loved it, it seemed like such an original and unique thing to have.”

“People have the memories and the signed records and pictures and stuff, but no one else can say they have a toilet roll John Lennon rejected,” Thomas added.

“It wasn’t the only thing John specifically complained about in the studios, he also hated the lock on the freezer, so he had a few odd hates.

“At the time it caused a load of interest, the trade for band memorabilia hadn’t taken off then like it has today, even ABC from America wanted to interview me there and then at the auction.

“They asked me why I bought it and I didn’t know what to say, but then it came to me and I told them <<to wipe away all the crap you guys write about our industry>> and they loved that.”

Soon after making the purchase Barry Thomas, who still lives in Coventry with his wife of 45 years, Margarita, was approached by a wealthy collector who wanted a piece of the action.

“This Japanese Beatles memorabilia collector cam up to me,” said Barry Thomas.

“He offered me a thousand pounds for one piece of the roll, just one piece.

“I told him I wouldn’t sell him it, I didn’t want to unroll it, but also I felt it would be less special if it was shared across the world.

“Now I’m thinking about selling it, I had the idea that I could split the whole roll now and sell it off in pieces.

“I say I’ll do that, but to be honest I reckon when I try I won’t be able to bring myself to. The Japanese collector has approached me again and I’ve said no, but no one has been able to put an official value on it.”

Berlusconi attacks S&P decision to downgrade Italy’s rating.

Ricky Robinson
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Berlusconi attacks S&P decision to downgrade Italy’s rating.

Standard and Poor’s dropped Italy’s credit rating from A+ to A, with the ratings agency keeping the country’s outlook on negative in a surprise move that may add to contagion fears in the debt-stressed eurozone.

Silvio Berlusconi swiftly attacked S&P, claiming the Standard and Poor agency’s action was “dictated more by newspaper stories than by reality”.

S&P cut Italy’s government debt rating from A+/A-1+ to A/A-1 and said country’s economic growth prospects were getting weaker, with planned reforms by the government not expected to help much.

S&P cut Italy's government debt rating from A+/A-1+ to A/A-1 and said country's economic growth prospects were getting weaker, with planned reforms by the government not expected to help much
S&P cut Italy's government debt rating from A+/A-1+ to A/A-1 and said country's economic growth prospects were getting weaker, with planned reforms by the government not expected to help much

“We believe the reduced pace of Italy’s economic activity to date will make the government’s revised fiscal targets difficult to achieve,” S&P said in a statement.

Italy follows eurozone partners Spain, Ireland, Greece, Portugal and Cyprus in having its credit rating downgraded this year.

Italy, which approved an austerity programme last week, currently has a debt-to-GDP ratio of 120%.

S&P took the decision after lowering its annual growth forecast for Italy to just 0.7% between 2011 and 2014, down from 1.3% a year. It also questioned whether Italy’s austerity plan would deliver the €60 billion savings that the government is aiming for.

“We believe the reduced pace of Italy’s economic activity to date will make the government’s revised fiscal targets difficult to achieve,” said S&P.

“Furthermore, what we view as the Italian government’s tentative policy response to recent market pressures suggests continuing future political uncertainty about the means of addressing Italy’s economic challenges,” S&P added.

Italian Prime Minister said in a brief statement in response to the S&P move:

“The assessments by S&P seem dictated more by newspaper stories than by reality and appear to be negatively influenced by political considerations.”

Silvio Berlusconi’s government is already taking action against ratings agencies, with police raiding the offices of Moody’s and S&P last month.

Gary Jenkins at Evolution Securities said the S&P news came just as Moody’s was expected to also downgrade Italy:

“Just when everyone was waiting for Moody’s to downgrade Italy, S&P gets in first with what is a much more damaging downgrade as its rating of Italy was already the lowest of the three agencies. The S&P move is likely to be very negative for sentiment because whilst the market was expecting a downgrade it was probably not expecting one from an agency with the lowest rating which did not even have the sovereign on credit watch, but merely a negative outlook.”

Stock markets fell early on, but later recovered, with the FTSE 100 in positive territory. Overnight the Japanese Nikkei fell by 1.6%.

Zybrestat could help thyroid cancer patients to live longer

Ricky Robinson
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Zybrestat could help thyroid cancer patients to live longer

Biopharmaceutical company Oxigene has presented data that showed Zybrestat (fosbretabulin) helped improve the one-year survival rate of patients with larger anaplastic thyroid cancer tumors.

 

The presentation was made on September 14 at the 35th Meeting of the European Thyroid Association, in Krakow, Poland. The presenter was Dr. Rossella Elisei, endocrinologist, University of Pisa, Italy.

Combrestatin, from which Zybrestat derived, is present in the bark of Eastern Cape South African bushwillow tree.
Combrestatin, from which Zybrestat derived, is present in the bark of Eastern Cape South African bushwillow tree.

A comparison was made between the results of the company’s aggregate data from five independent prospective Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials using Zybrestat to treat patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), including the FACT trial, and data from the 50-year experience in treating ATC patients at the Mayo Clinic from 1949 to 1999, published by Dr. Bryan McIver. FACT trial is a large single, randomized, controlled, multi-center clinical trial, and the Mayo studies comprise a large retrospective review of the treatment outcomes in ATC.

There were three key findings from the retrospective analysis.

13 patients or 9.7% of all 134 ATC patients treated at the Mayo Clinic survived one year or more.

19 patients or 23% of all 84 ATC patients treated with Zybrestat either alone or in combination with chemotherapy survived more than one year. The longest survival is 13+ years in a patient with a complete response.

The 9% rate of patients in the control arm of the FACT study surviving one year is almost identical to the observed 9% in the larger Mayo cohort.

Direct comparisons between the FACT trial and the Mayo Group have to be interpreted with the caveat that there were changes in standard-of-care treatment over the past 50 years, as well as differences in staging, sample size, and time-to-death.

“The 24% of patients treated with Zybrestat in the FACT study surviving one year or longer remains striking in its significance. Patients treated with Zybrestat essentially had a one-in-four chance of being alive after one year compared to only a one-in-10 chance in the control group, which corresponds to the survival outcome in the Mayo Clinic treated group.” Said Dr. Peter J. Langecker, Oxigene’s CEO.

Oxigene earlier this month saw shares slump after it said funding for a planned Phase 3 study of the drug candidate wasn’t feasible. Langecker said the company believes focusing its clinical resources on its most promising early-stage clinical development opportunities and reducing operating costs will allow it to conserve available resources.

 

Previously referred to as combretastatin A4 phosphate/CA4P, Zybrestat (fosbretabulin) has been granted orphan drug status by the FDA and the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of anaplastic thyroid cancer.

 

Zybrestat is being evaluated in a Phase 2 study of patients with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer and other clinical trials, including a recently completed Phase 2 study of Zybrestat plus chemotherapy in patients with ATC. Oxigene believes that Zybrestat is poised to become an important product in a novel class of small-molecule drug candidates called vascular disrupting agents (VDA). Through interaction with vascular endothelial cell cytoskeletal proteins, Zybrestat selectively targets and collapses tumor vasculature, thereby depriving the tumor of oxygen and causing death of tumor cells. In clinical trials in solid tumors, Zybrestat has demonstrated potent and selective activity against tumor vasculature, as well as clinical activity against anaplastic thyroid cancer, ovarian cancer and various other solid tumors.

 

Zybrestat collapses tumor vasculature and interrupts its blood flow, leading to the death of cancer cells.
Zybrestat collapses tumor vasculature and interrupts its blood flow, leading to the death of cancer cells.

 

The concept of interrupting tumors’ blood supply was first described in the early 1970s and led to the development of a new class of anti-cancer drugs called angiogenesis inhibitors.

Zybrestat is the first VDA to be tested in combination with a tumor-angiogenesis-inhibiting drug Avastin (bevacizumab) in humans.

The thyroid is an endocrine gland and its hormones help control heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and weight. Four main types of thyroid cancer are papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic thyroid cancer.

 

Thyroid's hormones help control heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and weight. Zybrestat could help increase survival of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma patients.
Thyroid's hormones help control heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and weight. Zybrestat could help increase survival of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma patients.

 

Anaplastic thyroid cancer is a very aggressive primary thyroid malignancy. ATC represents less than 2% of all thyroid cancers, but causes up to 40% of deaths from thyroid cancer. Median life expectancy is about three months for newly diagnosed patients. The overall 5-year survival rate of ATC has been given as 7% or 14%.

National Cancer Institute estimates 48,020 new cases and 1,740 deaths from thyroid cancer in the U. S. in 2011.

Fosbretabulin (Zybrestat), bortezomib (Velcade) and TNF-Related Apoptosis Induced Ligand (TRAIL), are being trialed in clinical labs and human clinical studies.

 

 

 

Ankara explosion updates. Suspected bomb killed 3 and wounded 15.

Ricky Robinson
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Ankara explosion updates. Suspected bomb killed 3 and wounded 15.

An explosion near a secondary school killed three people, injured at least other 15 and set several vehicles on fire in the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Tuesday.

It was not immediately clear what caused the blast in the downtown Kizilay district but a deputy prime minister said a bomb was suspected.

According to Besir Atalay, Turkey’s deputy prime minister, there was “information that a bomb was planted” on a vehicle.

Five of the injured people are in critical condition, Besir Atalay said.

 

The explosion killed three people, injured at least other 15 and set several vehicles on fire in Ankara
The explosion killed three people, injured at least other 15 and set several vehicles on fire in Ankara

 

The vehicle detonated across from the district governor’s office and about 200 meters (650 feet) from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s office.

“I’ve learned that people who haven’t got any sense of humanity terrorized civilians and carried out an attack in Ankara,” President Abdullah Gul said in televised comments from Germany, where he is on a state visit.

 “I strongly and vehemently curse this act of terrorism.”

Thick smoke could be seen rising from the central commercial area of Kizilay.

According to local mayor, Bulent Tanik, an eyewitness saw one person throwing a burning gas canister on to the vehicles from a nearby building.

“The investigation is under way,” Bulent Tanik said. “If true, that canister might have triggered the blast of a liquefied petroleum gas tank on a vehicle.”

The blast was powerful enough to destroy six cars and shatter windows in Kizilay, which is surrounded by government ministries. One of the vehicles was totally burnt down, television images showed.

Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin said the initial blast, in an LPG-fueled car, triggered five other similar vehicles on the street to explode. The first car to detonate was sold September 13 and the transaction hadn’t yet been completed, he said.

IdrisNaim Sahin said it was “highly likely to be a terrorist attack”. Kurdish, leftist and Islamic militants have carried out bomb attacks in Turkey in the past.

Interior minister said the attackers wanted to target as many people as possible, because the street where the blast occurred was normally very busy.

A fire broke out but was quickly contained by firefighters. Several vehicles were damaged and windows were blown out in nearby buildings.

Television images showed several parked cars ablaze in front of a local state authority’s offices.

The area was quickly evacuated, for fear of further explosions and to allow ambulances to take away the casualties.

One person was detained in connection with the blast, said a policeman, who declined to be identified because he wasn’t authorized to speak on the matter. Hurriyet newspaper reported that two people were taken into custody, citing unidentified police officials

There have been several bomb attacks in Turkey’s main cities in recent years, many blamed on the Kurdish insurgent movement, the PKK.

However the last big attack in Ankara four years ago, which killed nine and injured 120, was blamed by police investigators on a lone, leftist suicide bomber.

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Samsung wants to ban upcoming iPhone5 in Europe.

Ricky Robinson
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Samsung wants to ban upcoming iPhone5 in Europe.

Samsung sources revealed this week that the company was considering legal action to ban Apple’s upcoming iPhone 5 in Europe, after one of its executives admitted a similar move was planned in Korea.

Since Apple launched iPhone, there is no secret that Samsung makes many of the components inside it, in fact, even Samsung‘s CEO has admitted: “Apple is our biggest customer.”

But when Samsung launched its own Galaxy series of phones and tablets – high-powered touchscreens whose flagship, the Galaxy S II – legal war has erupted between the companies in nine countries.

A Samsung executive told the Korea Times this week:

“When the iPhone 5 arrives here, Samsung plans to take Apple to court here for its violation of Samsung’s wireless technology related patents.”

This statement is in response to Apple’s continued legal action against Samsung’s Galaxy family of touchscreen tablets and smartphones.

Legal battle rages between Apple and Samsung over alleged similarities between their touchscreen smartphones and handsets
Legal battle rages between Apple and Samsung over alleged similarities between their touchscreen smartphones and handsets

Some of Samsung gadgets are currently illegal in Europe following Apple lawsuits, which claimed they are “slavish” copies of iPhone and iPad.

Samsung recently overtook Nokia in the smartphone market, and its Galaxy S II offers a larger screen and faster processor than iPhone 4.

In September, Apple even forced Samsung to withdraw a prototype tablet device from the show floor of a Berlin electronics show. Samsung’s larger Galaxy 10.1 tablet remains illegal in Europe following Apple’s legal action.

The Maeil Business Newspaper reported that Samsung may seek an injunction against Apple’s new iPhone in Europe. Samsung said it would not comment on ongoing legal issues.

Samsung and Apple have been locked in intensifying legal battles in nine countries over their flagship smartphone and tablet products – battles made more complex by the fact that many related patents are held by other internet giants such as Google and Microsoft.

The latest Samsung attacks come after Apple successfully blocked the South Korean firm from selling its latest tablets in Germany and some smartphone models in the Netherlands and forced its rival to delay launching new tablets in Australia.

After Apple’s latest legal victory in Germany earlier in September, Samsung said it would take all available legal options.

Apple first sued the South Korean company in April and Samsung had since counter-sued, arguing Apple infringed on its mobile technologies.

Dolores Hope, Bob Hope widow, dies at 102

Sonia Pantiss
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Dolores Hope, Bob Hope widow, dies at 102

Dolores Hope will be buried alongside her husband.

 

Dolores Hope, the singer who was married for 69 years to comedian Bob Hope, died on September 19 at her home in the Toluca Lake, Los Angeles.

 

Dolores DeFina was born on May 27, 1909, in Harlem, New York City, and began her career as Dolores Reade. Her father was Italian and her mother Irish, and she grew up in the Bronx.

“My father died when I was very young, and there was just my mother, my sister and me. Were we a needy family? I always like what General Eisenhower said: ‘We were poor and didn’t know it.’” Dolores Hope said in 1982

She married Bob Hope in 1934 in Erie, Pennsylvania, and they adopted four children: Nora (Eleanora), Linda, Kelly and Anthony. Anthony died in 2004 at 63. Bob Hope started his film career in 1938 in Hollywood and Dolores stayed home.

 

Bob Hope and Dolores Hope: "Together, they brought countless hours of laughter and cheer to Americans everywhere." (Nancy Reagan)
Bob Hope and Dolores Hope: "Together, they brought countless hours of laughter and cheer to Americans everywhere." (Nancy Reagan)

 

“Bob was the hot thing in New York then. I thought I’d better stay home and take care of Bob.” she said in 1997.

“When we were celebrating our 50th anniversary, people would say, ‘Fifty years?’ And Bob would say, ‘Yeah, but I’ve only been home three weeks,’ ” Dolores Hope told the Palm Springs Desert Sun in 1995. She gave Bob Hope a paperweight inscribed “Don’t think these three weeks haven’t been fun.”

“We always had quality instead of quantity. When he wasn’t home, he’d call almost every day, except when he was in a combat zone. Even then, he’d try.” Dolores Hope recalled in the same interview.

Bob and Dolores Hope in 1997: the laughter in the family home contributed to her parents’ long lives, said Linda Hopes
Bob and Dolores Hope in 1997: the laughter in the family home contributed to her parents’ long lives, said Linda Hopes

Dolores Hope was Catholic and decided what has been appropriate for a family audience. “I learned to temper my humor in those years. Dolores was a tough critic.” Bob Hope said.

In the 1940s she began accompanying Hope on his Christmas trips to entertain U.S. troops. In 1966 she sang “Silent Night” to thousands of soldiers who then rose and gave her a thunderous ovation.

“Dolores was a good friend and a good person. She was an extraordinary partner to Bob throughout his entire life, supporting both their family at home and Bob’s selfless cause to entertain U.S. troops abroad. Together, they brought countless hours of laughter and cheer to Americans everywhere,” said Nancy Reagan.

In 1990, Bob Hope made his last Christmas visit to American forces, visiting troops who were in Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Storm. Although Marie Osmond, Ann Jillian and the Pointer Sisters did not sing because of Saudi sensibilities about women entertainers, Dolores Hope was allowed to perform and she sang “White Christmas” to thrilled public.

“She was the first lady of the USO. They didn’t come any more patriotic, caring or talented than Dolores,” said Carol Channing.

 

Dolores Hope oversaw Hopes charitable giving, helping to establish the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California.

 

She took care of two homes (a mansion in North Hollywood and a hilltop home in Palm Springs) and from 1969 to 1976 served as president of the Eisenhower Medical Center, then became chairwoman. Bob Hope raised millions of dollars for the center through the annual golf tournament that used to bear his name and is now known as the Humana Challenge.

A large part of Hopes fortune came from property holdings in the San Fernando Valley. Their wealth had been estimated at as much as $500 million in 2003.

“I like being with people, but I also need to have my time alone. I think it’s terribly important to have some time during the day when you stop and take all the energy that you have given out and pull it back in, find the source of your energy. Then you work from there.” Dolores Hope said in 1982.

Dolores Hope is survived her daughters, Linda Hope and Nora Somers; her younger son, Kelly Hope; four grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

 

Dolores Hope centenary: her 'Ten Decades Of Life' party on May 27, 2009, in Toluca Lake. "I think of her as love."(Kelly Hope)
Dolores Hope centenary: her 'Ten Decades Of Life' party on May 27, 2009, in Toluca Lake. "I think of her as love."(Kelly Hope)

 

Bob Hope died in 2003, two months after he had turned 100. In 2009, when Dolores Hope became a centenarian, Linda Hope said she thought laughter in the family home had contributed to her parents’ long lives. Her birthday appeared on The Today Show, and Kelly Hope said in an ABC interview, “I think of her as love.“

Hollywood Chamber of Commerce laid flowers at her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, around four hours after Dolores Hope’s passing,  Her star is next to her husband’s. Bob Hope was named the chamber’s “Citizen of the Century.”

 

Bob and Dolores Hope:  Silver Bells

[youtube SaXX4zU6S68]

 

Duffy’s Tavern (1944) with Dolores Hope and Bob Crosby

[youtube 7aurgS883ZE]

 

Listeria confirmed by FDA on Jensen Farms’ cantaloupes

Ricky Robinson
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0
Listeria confirmed by FDA on Jensen Farms’ cantaloupes

On Monday, September 19, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it found Listeria monocytogenes in samples of Jensen Farms’ Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupe taken from a Denver-area store and on samples taken from equipment and cantaloupe at the Jensen Farms’ packing facility.

 

Listeria monocytogenes causes listeriosis, with fever, muscle aches and vomiting
Listeria monocytogenes causes listeriosis, with fever, muscle aches and vomiting

 

Tests confirmed that the Listeria monocytogenes found in the samples matches one of the three different strains of Listeria monocytogenes associated with the multi-state outbreak of listeriosis.

Jensen Farms recalled its Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupes on September 14 in response to the multi-state outbreak of listeriosis. Cantaloupes from other farms in Colorado, including farms in the Rocky Ford growing area, have not been linked to this outbreak.

Jensen Farms shipped the recalled cantaloupes from July 29 through September 10 to at least 17 states with possible further distribution.

FDA investigators collected cantaloupes and environmental samples from a Denver-area store and from the Jensen Farms packing facility in Granada, after Colorado state health officials identified Jensen Farms’ Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupes as the common food eaten by several listeriosis patients.

 

The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention reports that 35 people in 10 states, including five deaths, have been infected with the outbreak strains of Listeria monocytogenes.

 

The Food and Drug Administration found Listeria monocytogenes in samples of Jensen Farms’ Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupe
The Food and Drug Administration found Listeria monocytogenes in samples of Jensen Farms’ Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupe. Listeria bacteria can grow in the cantaloupe at room and refrigerator temperatures.

 

Jensen Farms, based in Holly, is cooperating with the FDA and state officials in Colorado. The company is working with federal and state authorities to ensure the recalled cantaloupes are promptly removed from the marketplace. Jensen Farms is also helping federal and state authorities determine the root cause of how the cantaloupes became contaminated.

The FDA’s root-cause investigation and environmental assessment includes the on-site expertise of FDA and state of Colorado microbiologists, environmental health specialists, veterinarians and investigative officers. The experts conducting the assessment will analyze the evidence, determine the most likely cause of contamination and identify potential controls to help prevent contamination in the future. The FDA will use the findings to help inform agency policy regarding Listeria and produce food safety best practices.

The FDA advises consumers, especially persons at high risk for listeriosis (older adults, persons with weakened immune systems and pregnant women) not to eat the recalled cantaloupes and to throw them away. Even if some of the cantaloupe has been eaten without becoming ill, dispose of the rest of the cantaloupe immediately. Listeria bacteria can grow in the cantaloupe at room and refrigerator temperatures. Do not try to wash the harmful bacteria off the cantaloupe as contamination may be both on the inside and outside of the cantaloupe. Cutting, slicing and dicing may also transfer harmful Listeria monocytogenes from the fruit’s surface to the fruit’s flesh.

 

Turkey: explosion in centre of Ankara. Two deaths and 10 injured.

Ricky Robinson
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Turkey: explosion in centre of Ankara. Two deaths and 10 injured.

Ankara explosion updates. Suspected bomb killed 3 and wounded 15.

 

Two people have been killed and other 10 have been injured after an explosion rocked the centre of the Turkish capital, Ankara.

The cause of the explosion remains unclear.

Thick smoke could be seen rising from the commercial area of Kizilay in central Ankara.

Two people have been killed and other 10 have been injured after an explosion rocked the centre of the Turkish capital, Ankara
Two people have been killed and other 10 have been injured after an explosion rocked the centre of the Turkish capital, Ankara

A fire started briefly, but was quickly contained by firefighters, reports say.

Several vehicles were damaged and the glass in the windows of nearby buildings shattered, TV reports.

TV footages showed several parked cars ablaze in front of a local state authority’s offices.

Police have cordoned off the area. A bomb squad was also deployed to the location of the blast, reports say.

The injured people are said to have been taken to a city hospital.

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Reno air crash updates. Pictures show pilot was unconscious before impact.

Ricky Robinson
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Reno air crash updates. Pictures show pilot was unconscious before impact.

Photographs taken moments before the World War II-era plane went out of control during Reno air race appear to show the pilot was unconscious, according to aviation experts.

According to investigators, the age and medical history of 74-year-old pilot Jimmy Leeward may also prove relevant to their investigation.

A 10th person died overnight from injuries suffered Friday at Reno, Nevada air racing tragedy.

Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center spokeswoman Jamii Uboldi said Monday morning the patient who died was male, but she couldn’t immediately release his name, age and hometown.

ABC News consultant and former pilot Steve Ganyard said that after examining images of the plane before it hit the ground, it appeared Jimmy Leeward was not conscious.

Picture of P-51 Mustang airplane taken moments before crashing at Reno Air Race shows the pilot is absent from the cockpit
Picture of P-51 Mustang airplane taken moments before crashing at Reno Air Race shows the pilot is absent from the cockpit

“There is no pilot’s head in that cockpit.

“It tells me that he was likely unconscious, slumped over the controls.”

The video was shot by a member of the crowd and shown this morning on NBC’s “Today” program.

The news came as it was revealed the aircraft had undergone substantial changes since it was first built in the 1940s, which were done to improve the planes speed and not its safety.

Shattered pieces of the P-51 Mustang’s tail have been recovered that may explain why the pilot lost control.

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said on Sunday the memory cards will be analyzed to see if there is any footage from the outward facing camera.

Before it crashed, the aircraft also sent information to the racing team crew including oil pressure and temperature, altitude and velocity. That information could help investigators determine what caused the plane to crash.

Investigators said they have not yet been able to verify reports the pilot sent a mayday call before crashing.

The 65-year-old Galloping Ghost underwent years of massive overhauls that took a full 10 feet off its wingspan.

The ailerons – the back edges of the main wings used to control balance – were cut from about 60 inches to 32.

Before he died, Jimmy Leeward had said the changes made the P-51 Mustang faster and more manoeuvrable, but in the months before Friday’s crash even he wasn’t certain exactly how it would perform.

Officials have been focusing on the “elevator trim tab” – a piece of the tail that helps the aircraft maintain lift and appeared to break off before the crash.

The aircraft impacted on the tarmac like a missile, leaving a three-foot deep crater with debris scattered for an acre around the site. A picture taken moments earlier shows the tail piece missing.

From a tour of the site Saturday evening, it appeared that the plane went straight down in the first few rows of VIP box seats, based on the crater’s location.

The aircraft impacted on the tarmac like a missile, leaving a three-foot deep crater with debris scattered for an acre around the site
The aircraft impacted on the tarmac like a missile, leaving a three-foot deep crater with debris scattered for an acre around the site

Investigators also found several pieces of the doomed plane’s tail on Sunday as they resumed their search.

Reno police also provided a GPS mapping system to help investigators recreate the crash scene.

Investigators said they also recovered part of the tail section, where the tab is located.

As investigators look for answers, a photograph has emerged showing that a piece of the tail was missing before the aircraft plummeted to the ground.

NTSB spokesman Mark Rosekind said at a news conference:

“Pictures and video appear to show a piece of the plane was coming off.

“A component has been recovered. We have not identified the component or if it even came from the airplane … We are going to focus on that.”

Tim O’Brien from Grass Valley, California, who is chairman of an air show in his hometown and photographed Friday’s races, took the picture which shows the part missing.

He said pilot Jimmy Leeward’s P-51 was racing six other planes and was in the process of moving from third place into second when it pitched violently upward, rolled and then headed straight down.

Nocturnal Wonderland 2011 San Bernardino, California

Ricky Robinson
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Nocturnal Wonderland 2011 San Bernardino, California

For the first time in 2011, Insomniac sets two nights of electrifying music when Nocturnal Wonderland festival comes back to San Bernardino’s NOS Fairgrounds.

 

From September 23 to September 24, the electronic music fans can enjoy energizing beats with Avicii, Kaskade, Sebastian Ingrosso, Dirty South, Fedde le Grand. Dance music, electronic dance, techno, trance, drum and bass, break beat, house are the festival genres. Nocturnal Wonderland brings the biggest names in music and dance to over 50,000 concert goers.

 

Kaskade will perform at Nocturnal Wonderland 2011
Kaskade will perform at Nocturnal Wonderland 2011

 

Insomniac introduced Nocturnal Festival Texas at Apache Pass Fairgrounds in Rockdale, Texas on Labor Day Weekend 2010. This event was the first Nocturnal Festival outside of California and the first multi-day Nocturnal (September 4 and 5).

On Friday at three of Nocturnal Wonderland venues (Alice’s House, Labyrinth, Sunken Garden) perform 12th Planet, Arty, Avicii, Bunny of RITM, Calyx & Teebee, D. Ramirez, Dirty South, Fedde Le Grand, Fei Fei, Gareth Emery, Icicle, Jaquar Skills, Manufactured Superstars, Marky, Martyparty, MC Sharpness, Nicky Romero, S.P.Y, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, Trent Cantrelle, W&W, and many more TBA.

 

Avicii will be present in Alice's House at Nocturnal Wonderland 2011
Avicii will be present in Alice's House at Nocturnal Wonderland 2011

 

While on Saturday two more stages are added (Queen’s Ground, and Upside Down Room) for Alesso, Anger Dimas, Bassjackers, Breakage, Cosmic Gate featuring Emma Hewitt, Dirtyphonics (live), Droog, Eddie Thoneick, Gabriel & Dresden, Glen Morrison, Jakwob, Joaquin Bamaca, Kaskade, Kyau & Albert, Layo & Bushwacka, Lee Burridge, Loadstar, Mark Knight, Michael Woods, Morgan Page, Original Sin w/ Armanni Reign, Pleasurekraft, Sean Tyas, Sebastian Ingrosso, Showtek, Sigma, Simon Patterson, TC, Tiefshwarz, Victor Calderone, Wippenbergm, plus more TBA.

 

Sebastian Ingrosso, another performer of Nocturnal Wonderland 2011
Sebastian Ingrosso, another performer of Nocturnal Wonderland 2011

 

Each area of Nocturnal Wonderland 2011 is a world of interactive art, fire performers, silt walkers, aerialist and dancers. There are also a large outside areas including a park area.

 

Nocturnal Wonderland 2011
Nocturnal Wonderland 2011

Zero tolerance for drug use or possession said the organizers. The use or possession of any illegal drugs or substances will not be tolerated anywhere inside or outside the venue. Narcotics officers will be working both areas and enforcing all drug related laws.

Nocturnal Wonderland 2011 takes place rain or shine, festival goers have to be prepared for hot weather, sunshine, and cool evenings.

Beyond Wonderland, Escape from Wonderland and Audiotistic are other events that take place at the NOS event center.

Insomniac also organized Electric Daisy Carnival 2011 that was held from May to August in Orlando, Denver, Dallas, Las Vegas, Puerto Rico and attracted over 230,000 visitors in Las Vegas only.

There is also a Nocturnal Wonderland Recovery Party at the Playhouse in Hollywood on Monday, September 26.

 

[youtube vYfNLYDa38c]

 

Judith Tebbutt kidnapping updates. First suspect in court.

Ricky Robinson
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Judith Tebbutt kidnapping updates. First suspect in court.

A former Kenyan hotel worker was today charged over the abduction of British tourist Judith Tebbutt and the shooting of her husband David.

Ali Babitu Kololo, the 25 year-old father of three, appeared in court on the island of Lamu charged with kidnapping and violent robbery.

David and Judith Tebbutt were attacked on September 11 during their holiday at a remote Kenyan luxury beach resort

Prosecutors said they believed Ali Babitu Kololo was part of a gang of six armed with AK-47 rifles who burst into the Tebbutts’ beach cottage at the Kiwayu Safari Village near the border with Somalia.

Ali Babitu Kololo was involved in the death of David Tebbutt and kidnapping of Judith Tebbutt
Ali Babitu Kololo was involved in the death of David Tebbutt and kidnapping of Judith Tebbutt

 

It is alleged that Ali Babitu Kololo and his unidentified alleged accomplices then stole a handbag, cash and passports from the couple before shooting dead David Tebbutt, 58, and kidnapping his 56 year-old wife, Judith Tebbutt.

Today Kololo, admitted in the court he had led the raiders to the site in the moments before the midnight attack.

But the worker claimed he did so only after the gang of unidentified Somali criminals held him up at gunpoint.

Kololo claimed the raiders drove him first to the town of Odo in Somalia last Saturday before sailing out to sea and ordering him to direct them after dark to the hotel where he had previously been employed as a maintenance worker.

“The men found me as I was cutting down trees in the forest. I was with a colleague but he ran away and the gunmen abducted me. They took me to Odo and from there the hijackers took me deep out in the sea with a boat.

“At around 11pm they took me towards the hotel. They were armed and forced me to show them the way.”

Kololo admitted he had directed the gang to the Kiwayu hotel, which lies around 30 miles from Somalia.

But he told the court that at that stage he did not know the Tebbutts had checked into the resort and said he neither entered the couple’s cottage nor heard the fatal gunshot which killed David Tebbutt.

Ali Babitu Kololo claimed he fled his captors as they landed on the beach before handing himself into police the following day.

“When we landed on the beach it was dark and I ran away into the bushes. They would have killed me had I refused to go with them and I did what I did to save my own life.

“I’m not a bad man. If I was I would not have surrendered to police and informed them.”

Kololo’s statement about his actions on the night of September is the most vivid description yet of the moments before the Tebbutts were attacked.

David and Judith Tebbutt were from Bishop’s Stortford in Hertfordshire and had arrived at the Kiwayu Safari village just hours before the pirates struck.

David Tebbutt, a publishing executive, died in the grass-woven beach hut after being shot in the chest as he apparently resisted the group.

Judith Tebbutt, a deaf social worker, was then bundled into a boat which headed towards Somalia.

Ali Babitu Kololo was arrested on September 11and today pleaded not guilty to both charges against him but was remanded in custody.

The two counts, which do not include murder, represent the state’s belief that Ali Babitu Kololo was involved in the death of David Tebbutt but not necessarily that he was himself directly responsible for the murder.

Speaking afterwards, Ali Babitu Kololo claimed he had been tortured by police.

“They beat and tortured me. They hit my manhood and they beat my stomach.

“Then they refused to let me go to the hospital. They want me to admit that I am guilty but I am innocent so that is something I could never do.”

The suspect was ordered to reappear for a further hearing on October 25.

Ali Babitu Kololo’s lawyer George Wakahiu later said he planned to apply for bail.

UBS admitted Kweku Adoboli fraud is $2.3 billion.

Ricky Robinson
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UBS admitted Kweku Adoboli fraud is $2.3 billion.

Swiss banking giant UBS has admitted that the losses allegedly racked up by “rogue trader” Kweku Adoboli has risen from $2 billion to $2.3 billion.

UBS said the huge loss was caused by unauthorized trades on stock index futures made over the past three months.

It said the transactions Kweku Adoboli made were within normal limits and slipped through risk controls due to “fictitious trades” in complex financial instruments called exchange traded funds (ETFs), which were used to cover up losses.

Kweku Adoboli is charged with $2.3 billion fraud at Swiss banking giant UBS
Kweku Adoboli is charged with $2.3 billion fraud at Swiss banking giant UBS

According to UBS, “the true magnitude of the risk exposure was distorted” because the hedges that traders are required to put in place had been fabricated.

The bank also suggested that the trades involved “unauthorized speculative” bets on various S&P 500, Dax and Eurostoxx index futures, rather than on the Swiss franc, as some had thought.

Swiss banking giant also claims that the non-existent hedges entered into its records were “fictitious, forward-settling, cash ETF positions”, trades that had never actually been executed.

UBS also countered suggestions that it did not notice the trades until Kweku Adoboli came forward.

UBS said that Kweku Adoboli, who was charged on Friday with fraud and false accounting, had been responding to the bank’s inquiries.

It appears that the fraud came to light last Wednesday during a review of Kweku Adoboli’s trading book, which it has now unwound.

UBS has now launched an internal investigation regarding the failure of its risk systems.

UBS board of directors had set up a committee chaired by independent director David Sidwell, former chief financial officer at Morgan Stanley, to conduct an independent investigation into the trades and the bank’s control systems.

UBS stunned markets on Thursday when it announced unauthorized trades had lost it about $2 billion.

The figure was raised by a further $300 million on Sunday, and chief executive Oswald Gruebel said the alleged fraud would have consequences for strategy and possibly also for himself.

The huge loss is a heavy blow to the reputation of Switzerland’s biggest bank, which had just started to recover after its near collapse during the financial crisis and a damaging U.S. investigation into its aiding wealthy Americans to dodge taxes.

By 7:45 a.m. UBS shares were down 1.6% at 10.10 francs, outperforming a 2.6% slide on the European banking stocks index.

UBS CEO Oswald Gruebel said he would not be resigning, and said calls for his resignation were “purely political” and that he was “not thinking about stepping down”.

Gruebel added that while he bore ultimate responsibility, he did not feel “guilty” for failing to prevent the costly and embarrassing incident.

Gruebel defiant stance comes amid suggestions that Swiss regulators could tell the bank to hive off or close down its investment banking division, which houses the “Delta One” desk where Kweku Adoboli worked.

The Financial Services Authority and Swiss regulators have drafted in accountancy firm Deloitte to investigate the affair.

Meanwhile, UBS senior independent director David Sidwell, a former finance chief at JP Morgan Chase, is leading the bank’s own probe into the matter.

W.E., Madonna’s film will be re-edited ahead of December release.

Ricky Robinson
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W.E., Madonna’s film will be re-edited ahead of December release.

Madonna’s film W.E. will be re-edited ahead of its December release following the poor critics received at the Venice and Toronto film festivals, according to reports.

The W.E. (Wallis&Edward) drama is based on the controversial romance between King Edward VIII and his American divorcee wife Wallis Simpson. The story is brought to the present time by a 21st-century New Yorker who becomes obsessed with the pair. W.E. is Madonna’s first full-length film as a director.

Madonna's film, WE will be re-edited ahead of its December release
Madonna's film, WE will be re-edited ahead of its December release

W.E. will be distributed in the US by the Weinstein company, which is co-owned by Harvey Weinstein, a producer known for his interventionist approach in the cutting room.

According to Daily Mail’s Baz Bamigboye and the New York Post’s Page Six column, W.E. would probably lose 10 minutes from its running time.

Madonna showed her willingness to return to the editing room in a conversation with Baz Bamigboye in Venice.

“Maybe it needs a bit of this and a bit of that, and maybe it is still a work in progress,” the singer said.

“For God’s sake, I hope it’s over with soon!”

Critical response to W.E., which stars Abbie Cornish, Andrea Riseborough, Oscar Isaac and James D’Arcy, has been mixed at best during its festival run.

There had been some talk of awards season buzz for W.E. prior to its festival run. Last year’s big UK winner at the Oscars, The King’s Speech, also touched on the story of the relationship between Edward and Wallis Simpson, a romance which prompted the monarch to abdicate in 1936.

Obama’s deficit cuts plan: millionaire tax, changes to Medicare and winding down wars.

Ricky Robinson
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Obama’s deficit cuts plan: millionaire tax, changes to Medicare and winding down wars.

President Barack Obama will unveil plans on Monday to reduce the massive US deficit by about $3.6 trillion over the next 10 years, with about half of the savings expected to come from higher taxes on the wealthy and big corporations.

US president will unveil the new proposals at the White House and they will be submitted to a congressional “super-committee” that was created in August to draw up a deficit-reduction plan. The massive cuts plan will reach some important points such as:

Barack Obama unveils the plan to reduce the massive US deficit by about $3.6 trillion over the next 10 years
Barack Obama unveils the plan to reduce the massive US deficit by about $3.6 trillion over the next 10 years

Tax increases

Obama’s plans would include roughly $1.5 trillion in tax increases aimed mainly at wealthy Americans and corporations, people familiar with the proposal said. It isn’t fair to those living at or below their means who are saving receipts, researching tax credits, and using every possible tax calculator available, while the wealthy barely have to lift a finger. The president is set to unveil a “Buffett tax” aimed at those earning $1 million or more a year and named after billionaire investor Warren Buffett, a persistent critic of low tax rates for the rich.

$800 billion in savings would come from allowing George Bush’s tax cuts for wealthy Americans to expire.

Another $700 billion would come from ridding the tax code of special breaks. Obama has proposed limiting deductions for higher-income households and eliminating breaks for oil and gas companies and firms that purchase corporate jets.

Retirement benefits

Barack Obama’s plan would avoid large-scale cuts in big middle-class entitlement programs such as the social security retirement program and the Medicare health plan for older Americans.

The cuts plan includes $248 billion in savings from the Medicare health program. Many of the cuts would come from reduced payments to health providers. US president will also recommend roughly another $330 billion in savings from other entitlement programs.

Administration officials said Barack Obama will pledge to veto any plan to cut benefits for Medicare recipients unless the wealthy and big corporations are required to pay their “fair share” of taxes.

The plan would not raise the age at which retirees become eligible for Medicare benefits.

Barack Obama also will not propose any changes to social security.

Iraq and Afghanistan wars

The plan assumes $1.1 trillion in savings from winding down the war in Iraq and moving ahead with planned troop reductions from Afghanistan. Critics are likely to label this element of the plan a “gimmick” because it does not represent new policy but instead reflects drawdowns of US forces that have already been announced.

Interest payments

The plan assumes $430 billion in savings on interest payments following the cuts elsewhere in the budget.

Judith Tebbutt, the British tourist kidnapped in Kenya is refusing food.

Ricky Robinson
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Judith Tebbutt, the British tourist kidnapped in Kenya is refusing food.

Judith Tebbutt, the kidnapped British tourist in Kenya is refusing food and defying her captors who are continually moving her to different locations, sources in Somalia claimed Sunday.

Locals reported explosions, believed to be bombs dropped by Kenyan or U.S. helicopters, in the Kismayo area of Somalia where Judith Tebbutt, 56, was brought ashore “kicking and screaming” last Monday after she was abducted and her husband David Tebbutt shot dead at their Kenyan beach lodge in Kiwayu Safari Village.

A Kenyan man is due to appear today in court at Lamu, 40 miles south of the murder scene, to face charges of abduction and robbery.

 

Ali Babitu Kololo, a Kenyan handyman, was arrested over the abduction of Judith Tebbutt
Ali Babitu Kololo, a Kenyan handyman, was arrested over the abduction of Judith Tebbutt

 

Ali Babitu Kololo, a 25 year-old handyman, is a former employee of the Kiwayu Safari Village and has allegedly told police he helped direct the armed kidnappers to Tebbutts lodge.

The handyman has claimed he did so only under duress after being held up at gunpoint himself.

Kenyan police have also arrested a second suspect, Isa Sheikh Saadi, 37.

The Al Shabaab Islamist group fighting to overthrow the Somalian government has claimed that it seized Judith Tebbutt and murdered David Tebbutt.

The claim is impossible to verify because the group have yet to offer any evidence they are truly holding Judith Tebbutt.

On Sunday afternoon it was also claimed that she was in the hands of Somali pirates in the centre of the country.

One of the pirates, calling himself Mohamed, said:

“My colleagues brought her. I am among the ones guarding her. Although you can understand the fatigue from her face, she is healthy.”

Kenyan witnesses said Judith Tebbutt was “kicking and screaming” as armed bandits dragged her ashore from a speedboat into a convoy of four-wheel-drive Toyotas last Monday.

“She was resisting all the time and the men were forcing her into the car,” a harbor porter said.

Sources in Somalia claimed woman had been moved several times last week and again on Saturday night.

Judith Tebbutt had refused offers of spaghetti and rice, and had rebuffed all attempts to enter into conversation.

“She doesn’t eat and she’s not saying anything,” said a Somali source who has spoken to members of the Al Shabaab group.

“They know she is deaf but have been trying to communicate with hand signals, but she ignores them.”

Publishing executive David Tebbutt and his wife,Judith Tebbutt, a social worker, from Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, were halfway through a two-week holiday when they were attacked by three armed raiders in Kiwayu, 20 miles from the border with Somalia, one week ago.

The attackers shot David Tebbutt with an AK-47 rifle and whisked Judith Tebbutt away by boat in her night clothes to an island off the coast of Somalia before transferring her to Kismayo the next day.

David Tebbutt’s body is expected to be brought back to Britain this week.

Emmy Awards 2011: Modern Family won Best Comedy Series.

Ricky Robinson
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Emmy Awards 2011: Modern Family won Best Comedy Series.

The 63rd edition of Primetime Emmy Awards contained enough surprises to confound oddsmakers as well as skeptics who consider the awards show too predictable.

Modern Family, the ABC production won Best Comedy Series award for the second straight year and another two acting prizes (for Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell, who play a harried married couple) as well.

The cast and crew of Modern Family at Emmy Awards 2011
The cast and crew of "Modern Family" at Emmy Awards 2011

Mad Men, about the New York ad industry in the 1960s, won its fourth consecutive Emmy as Best Drama, a feat last achieved by NBC’s White House series The West Wing nearly a decade ago.

Jim Parsons of CBS’ nerd sitcom The Big Bang Theory repeated his win from last year, Actor in Comedy Series award and Julianna Margulies, a previous winner for ER, won Actress in Drama Series Award for CBS’ legal drama The Good Wife.

Melissa McCarthy of the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly, Kyle Chandler of the now-canceled small-town soap Friday Night Lights, and Barry Pepper for his role as Robert F. Kennedy in the controversial Reelz miniseries The Kennedys were the other surprises of the Sunday evening ceremony.

At Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony held at the Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles and hosted by Jane Lynch of Glee and aired live nationwide on Fox, the win for Mad Men was almost unexpected, according to its creator.

“Oh, my goodness,” said Matthew Weiner, as the cast crowded behind him onstage.

“I did not think that was going happen.”

Some of the  observers had speculated that voters at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences might pass the baton instead to either of two acclaimed new HBO dramas, the Prohibition mob story Boardwalk Empire or the fantasy Game of Thrones.

Boardwalk Empire won only one award for Oscar-winning film director Martin Scorsese, who had never previously won an Emmy. PBS’ Downton Abbey drama miniseries was ranked second.

“I must say, this is something I really never dreamed of,” Martin Scorsese told reporters backstage of his win for Boardwalk Empire.

“It’s a different medium in a way, although we approached <<Boardwalk Empire>> as a film — a very long film. It’s just as exciting.”

The British winners of Emmy Awards 2011 were Maggie Smith (for Downton Abbey), Julian Fellowes (who created and wrote much of Downton Abbey) and Kate Winslet, who won the award for the title role in HBO’s miniseries remake of Mildred Pierce.

Kate Winslet won the Emmy Award for lead actress in a miniseries or TV movie for her part in "Mildred Pierce"
Kate Winslet won the Emmy Award for lead actress in a miniseries or TV movie for her part in "Mildred Pierce"

“Oh, I didn’t think I was going to win anything!” Kate Winslet said onstage.

Kyle Chandler won Actor in Drama Series Award as Eric Taylor, the stoic football coach on Friday Night Lights, which this year wrapped up five critically acclaimed but perilously low-rated seasons, first on NBC and then on DirecTV.

Kyle Chandler’s competition include three multiple Emmy nominees who have never won: Jon Hamm of Mad Men, Hugh Laurie of Fox’s House and Michael C. Hall of Showtime’s Dexter.

“I did not write anything and now I’m starting to worry,” Kyle Chandler said during his speech.

Other first-time winners included supporting actor, drama, Peter Dinklage, for his part as the Imp, a crafty and debauched member of the ruling family in Game of Thrones; and supporting actress, drama, Margo Martindale, for her role as an unlikely crime boss in FX’s Justified.

Peter Dinklage summed up the unpredictable nature of the evening by saluting his rivals for the supporting dramatic actor category, including John Slattery of Mad Men and Alan Cumming of The Good Wife.

Emmy Awards 2011. Winners full list.

Diane A. Wade
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Emmy Awards 2011. Winners full list.

Modern Family dominated comedy and Downton Abbey took miniseries, directing, supporting actor and writing gongs.

Best drama series: Mad Men

Actor in a drama series: Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights

Actress in a drama series: Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife

Supporting actor in a drama series: Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones

Supporting actress in a drama series: Margo Martindale, Justified

Modern Family won Best Comedy Series Emmy Award 2011, writers Jeffrey Richman and Steven Levitan and director Michael Spiller
Modern Family won Best Comedy Series Emmy Award 2011; writers Jeffrey Richman and Steven Levitan and director Michael Spiller

Best comedy series: Modern Family

Actor in a comedy series: Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Actress in a comedy series: Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly

Supporting actor in a comedy series: Ty Burrell, Modern Family

Supporting actress in a comedy series: Julie Bowen, Modern Family

Best miniseries or TV movie: Downton Abbey

Actor in a miniseries or movie: Barry Pepper, The Kennedys

Actress in a miniseries or movie: Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce

Supporting actor in a miniseries or movie: Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce

Supporting actress in a miniseries or movie: Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey

Best reality competition program: The Amazing Race

Best variety, music or comedy series: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Directing for a comedy series: Michael Spiller, Modern Family

Writing for a comedy series: Steve Levitan and Jeffrey Richman, Modern Family

Directing for a drama series: Martin Scorsese, Boardwalk Empire

Writing for a drama series: Jason Katims, Friday Night Lights

Directing for a variety, music or comedy series: Don Roy King, Saturday Night Live

Writing for a variety, music or comedy series: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart – Steve Bodow, Tim Carvell, Rory Albanese, Kevin Bleyer, Rich Blomquist, Wyatt Cenac, Hallie Haglund, JR Havlan, Elliott Kalan, Josh Lieb, Sam Means, Jo Miller, John Oliver, Daniel Radosh, Jason Ross, Jon Stewart

Directing for a miniseries, movie or dramatic special: Brian Percival, Downton Abbey

Writing for a miniseries, movie or dramatic special: Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey

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